Puppies love their crates, as long as they are not confined all the time. Crate-training allows you to manage your dog when you can't supervise him. Dogs are less likely to soil in their crates, so they may house-train quickly, too. The crate should be large enough for your puppy to stand up and turn around in.

Feed your puppy in his crate, give him toys and treats in the crate, and let him sleep in the crate at night. His crate should be a happy place, never a place for punishment. Always keep the crate in the room where you spend most of your time. If you keep it in a back bedroom, your puppy will whine and cry to get out. Move the crate to the bedroom at night until he is at least 6 months old.

Because all my dogs have been crate-trained, they have never developed bad chewing habits. Buster and Archie are 18 months old and only now am I leaving them out of their crates when I leave home. I trust them not to chew up anything.

As for potted plants, you will be glad to know there are products at the pet store, including Bitter Apple, that you can spray on furniture, electrical cords and even plants to give off a repelling smell and taste.

Of course, the best thing you can do is always supervise them around the plants so you can quickly correct them. Keep a can of coins handy, and when they approach the plant, shake the can and say, “No.” The noise gets their attention so they will listen to your correction.

Dear Cathy: It's great that Wally (“Dog is master at escaping,” July 17) was saved from an awful life. I believe that the current pet parent should have a professional behaviorist evaluate him for separation anxiety. This is quite common in rescue dogs. He should also check out Patricia McConnell's books and walk Wally twice a day so he can explore safely.

La Trenda

Dear La Trenda: Unfortunately, there are no animal behaviorists in San Antonio, but veterinarians can help pet parents with strategies for coping with separation anxiety. Patricia McConnell, a certified applied animal behaviorist, has many books on behavior that dog lovers will appreciate. Walking Wally a few times a day is good advice to keep him from escaping. A tired dog is a good dog.

Save the date

On Sept. 27, the Talk About It! campaign will host a special event called “Reno Achieved No Kill: San Antonio CAN, too!” It's a community conversation at the Norris Conference Center (at 1nterstate 10 and Loop 410) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.